102: I heard that the gang has run away?

One month later.

Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.

The three months of clamor finally came to an end on this day.

The spatial rift suspended in the center of the basin, breathing out an endless aura of desolation, slowly closed after an unwilling hum and eventually vanished.

The Secret Realm was closed.

"Phew... I'm finally out!"

"Damn it, I almost died at the hands of those ghostly things inside!"

Streaks of light shot into the sky from all over the basin. The surviving Cultivators had expressions of relief from surviving a disaster, along with varying degrees of joy from their harvests.

Elder Li of the Haoran Sect led his Disciples, counting their numbers; his expression wasn't very good.

The muscular men from Hegemon Fist Mountain were all injured, but their eyes glinted with Evil Qi, clearly having gone through many bloody battles.

The female Cultivators of the Seven Profound Pavilion gathered together, whispering to each other and occasionally taking out rare flowers or herbs obtained in the Secret Realm, drawing bursts of admiration.

"Elder Li, how was the harvest this time?" a burly man from Hegemon Fist Mountain asked in a booming voice.

Elder Li gave a bitter smile. "We lost seven or eight good prospects. As for the harvest, it's just so-so."

"Same for us. The monsters in that Secret Realm were incredibly bizarre!"

Everyone exchanged information, and soon, the conversation shifted unanimously to the mysterious Sect that had once stirred up a bloodbath in the Secret Realm.

"Eh? Where are the people from the Myriad Dao Divine Sect?"

"Yeah, why haven't we seen a single one?"

The "Ten Thousand Dao Gang," which had occupied the very center of the basin and made all forces steer clear a month ago, was now nowhere to be found.

It was as if they had never appeared.

"Hmph! A bunch of shrinking turtles!"

A discordant voice rang out.

Lei Qiandong of the Profound Thunder Sect approached with several of his fellow Disciples, his face dark.

His injuries had healed, but the humiliation of being publicly defeated and stripped bare for extortion made it impossible for him to rest easy.

"I thought they were so capable, but it turns out they're just bullies who fear the strong!"

"They must have heard the news of the Tianyan Holy Land's Saint arriving and ran away in fear!"

A nearby Loose Cultivator leaned in curiously upon hearing this. "Fellow Daoist Lei, what do you mean? Wasn't that Myriad Dao Divine Sect very overbearing?"

Lei Qiandong sneered and began to spread the story with added color: how the Myriad Dao Divine Sect was crushed by Wen Chici, the Saint of the Tianyan Holy Land; how their sword formation was broken with a single word; and how they were humiliated to the core.

"Hahaha! So that's how it is! No wonder they ran faster than rabbits!"

"Taught a lesson by the Holy Land? They deserved it! Those guys were so arrogant; I've been annoyed by them for a long time!"

The news spread from one to ten, and ten to a hundred.

The fame of the Myriad Dao Divine Sect spread to every corner of the scene once again, but in a ridiculous way.

Only this time, no one feared them; there was only ridicule and contempt.

Some prodigies who considered themselves extraordinary were even rubbing their hands in anticipation, preparing to go and meet this so-called "Myriad Dao Divine Sect" once they returned to the Central Continent to see what they were really made of... Central Continent, Tianxu City.

The street that was once a sensation due to the opening of "Myriad Dao Express Delivery" now seemed somewhat deserted.

The plaque engraved with the four flamboyant characters "Myriad Dao Express Delivery" was covered in a thick layer of dust.

The shop doors were tightly locked, with a notice posted on them.

"The owner has matters to attend to; closed indefinitely."

"Tsk, I thought they were so capable, but it turns out it was just a flash in the pan."

"Have you heard? This Myriad Dao Divine Sect offended the Tianyan Holy Land and was scared into sealing their mountain!"

"More than just sealing the mountain! I heard they fled back to their old home in the Eastern Desolation overnight! The entire Sect has vanished into thin air!"

"Tsk tsk, what a joke."

Passing Cultivators pointed at the closed doors, their words filled with disdain.

The once mysterious, overbearing, and fearsome Sect had gradually become dinner-table talk as time passed—a negative example used to warn younger generations not to be ignorant of the height of the heavens.

People soon forgot about them.

After all, the Central Continent was too large; new legends were born every day, and old jokes were forgotten every day... Tianxu City, the top-level Cloud Top Heavenly Palace.

This was a place where only the top forces of the Central Continent were qualified to step foot.

Inside an elegant tea room, incense curled, and the mist from the spiritual tea was dense.

A woman wearing a fiery red Phoenix dress sat in the main seat.

She was stunningly beautiful, but her brow carried an innate pride and sharpness, as if she were a true Phoenix looking down on all things in the world.

She was Xu Xiujin, the eldest daughter of the Xu Family, a top-tier family in the Central Continent.

Beside her, an old woman in the Void Refinement Stage was respectfully brewing tea for her.

"Young Miss, there are results regarding the Myriad Dao Divine Sect you wanted to investigate."

"Speak." Xu Xiujin picked up her teacup and gently blew on the steam, not even lifting her eyelids.

"This Sect comes from the Eastern Desolation and acts overbearingly. It once became famous for creating 'Myriad Dao Express Delivery' due to its unique teleportation methods. However, a month ago, its Disciples clashed with Wen Chici, the Saint of the Tianyan Holy Land, in the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range Secret Realm and were unilaterally crushed."

"Since then, the Myriad Dao Divine Sect has completely disappeared. All their businesses have closed, and their Disciples have not been seen in the world again. Rumors outside say they were scared witless and fled back to the Eastern Desolation."

The old woman reported respectfully.

"Fled?"

Xu Xiujin put down her teacup, a mocking curve appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"A bunch of country bumpkins from the Eastern Desolation, what courage could they have? It's not surprising they'd run away in terror after being intimidated by that hypocrite Wen Chici."

"The Young Miss is right," the old woman quickly agreed.

Xu Xiujin gently tapped the table with her jade-like fingers, her Phoenix eyes flashing with thoughtful light.

"However, that 'Myriad Dao Express Delivery' is somewhat interesting."

"To be able to ignore spatial Restrictions and perform fixed-point teleportation between a Secret Realm and the outside world... this is definitely not a method a small Sect from the Eastern Desolation could possess."

The old woman's heart stirred. "Does the Young Miss mean...?"

"They must have lucked out and obtained some ancient spatial treasure."

Xu Xiujin's tone was filled with unquestionable certainty.

"For such a treasure to fall into the hands of a bunch of trash is simply like casting pearls before swine, a waste of a heavenly resource."

She stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the mist-shrouded Tianxu City below, a hint of greed and heat flickering in her eyes.

"Pass down my order: send people to the Eastern Desolation."

"Even if you have to turn that barren land upside down, find that so-called 'Myriad Dao Divine Sect' for me."

"I want them found alive, and if they are dead... I still want to see that secret treasure."

The old woman's heart jolted, and she immediately knelt to take the order.

"Yes! Young Miss!"

Xu Xiujin looked out the window, the mockery at the corner of her mouth growing even more intense.

"Myriad Dao Divine Sect? Just a bunch of beggars holding golden bowls."

"Once I obtain that secret treasure, this Central Continent, and even the entire world, will be in the palm of my Xu Family's hand."

"As for you all... just rest assured and be a stepping stone."

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PS: Xu Xiujin was provided by the user 'Jianfanyefan'. You wanted a cool villain, is this one cool enough?

Various forces of the Eastern Desolation: Don't you come over here!!!"